Digital Jam 2.0 is a Government of Jamaica\/World Bank Youth Event scheduled for 28\u201430 June in Kingston, Jamaica. \u00a0The event comprises a coding competition, an apps competition, a 2-day seminar\/conference, and a market place\/job fair.<\/em><\/p>\n
At the press launch for Digital Jam 2.0 \u2013 \u201cThe Future of Work is Online\u201d<\/a><\/em><\/strong> in Jamaica yesterday, 8 May, Giorgio Valentini, World Bank Representative to Jamaica, stated that in the Caribbean, young people under 30 represent 60% of the population. In Jamaica, and undoubtedly across the region, that grouping also accounts for 70% of the crimes committed. Hence it is imperative that countries find opportunities through which their citizens\u2019 potential can be harnessed. The ICT\/tech space offers a broad range of opportunities, which Digital Jam 2.0 hopes to showcase.<\/p>\n
Digital Jam 2.0 \u2013 \u201cThe Future of Work is Online\u201d is a 3-day event that will be held in Kingston, Jamaica on 28\u201430 June, at the Jamaica Conference Centre. Hosted by the Government of Jamaica<\/a> and the World Bank<\/a>, Digital Jam 2.0 consists of:<\/p>\n
More information on Digital Jam 2.0, as well as on the individual activities, can be found on the event website<\/a> (http:\/\/digitaljam2.com\/<\/a>).<\/p>\n
Digital Jam 2.0 Press Launch - Hon Lisa Hanna (Minister for Youth & Culture) at the podium<\/p><\/div>\n
With a focus on sports, under the theme, Sprint Factory Apps to di World, <\/em>this coding competition will<\/p>\n
\n\u2026bring together developers, designers, sports experts and sports journalists to explore to explore how technology can better enable the sports industry and sports as a social development tool and provide entrepreneurial opportunities for technologically inclined youth\u2026 (Source: Digital Jam 2.0<\/a>)<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
The apps competition<\/h3>\n
For the apps competition, which will be held on 29 June, teams will compete to mobile or web-based software applications. Preceding the competition, two workshops will held with internationally recognized software developer and Jamaican, John Henry Thompson<\/a>, inventor of the Macromedia Director Lingo Scripting Language<\/em>. One of the workshops has already occurred, but the final one will be held on 18\u201420 May. Registration to participate in the apps competition closes on 15 May.<\/p>\n
A series of talks and panel discussions will be held on 29\u201430 June that aim to discuss trends and provide a forum for local and international speakers to share their success stories. Some of the agenda items include:<\/p>\n
The market place and job fair will be a 2-day expo on 29\u201430 June, featuring Jamaican and international businesses. A key objective of the marketplace and job fair is to connect business, organisations and people, especially Jamaican youth, by:<\/p>\n
The market place, in particular, was conceived as a vehicle to highlight local innovation and skills in the ICT\/tech space, by Jamaican youth. In addition to select local and international companies, persons between the ages 13\u201435, along with youth-owned local businesses can participate. The market place hopes to highlight ICT\/tech skills, products and services, as well as those in the creative industry that make extensive use of ICT\/tech tools.<\/p>\n
As part of Digital Jam 2.0, international and local companies will be offering work opportunities that will be featured as part of the job fair. Equally important, a broad range of support services, such as career counselling, will be made available to the public during the event.<\/p>\n
Digital Jam 2.0 will be open to public and will have free admission!<\/p>\n
For those interested in participating in the hackathon, the apps competition, and\/or the market place\/job fair, registration is still open, so go to the event website<\/a> for more details.<\/p>\n
Also, to keep track of new developments and to participate in on-going discussions, do follow Digital Jam 2.0 on Facebook<\/a> and on Twitter<\/a>.<\/p>\n
Photo courtesy of JAMPRO.<\/em><\/p>\n